Edmonton Police Watch

Charles Rusnell, CanWest News Service

Original

EDMONTON -The senior Edmonton police officer in charge of investigating allegations that nine homeless native people were taken off the street, held against their will in a sweltering van for two hours and then dumped in a northside neighbourhood, denied Tuesday that police had buried the case.

But Insp. Brad Doucette could not fully explain why it took police more than 18 months to commence a criminal investigation into public allegations that the native people had been unlawfully confined.

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630CHED

Original

A courtroom broke out in applause Wednesday afternoon when a judge acquitted a police officer of assault with a weapon.

On Christmas Eve, 2003, a 15-year-old break-and-enter suspect was strip-searched and stun-gunned at a police station.

The officer who zapped the teen - Constable Todd Hudec - was charged.

Judge Ray Bradley heard two different versions of what happened. He went along with Hudec’s version.

The judge made no mention of Hudec failing to include the tasering in his police reports, or why he did not take the boy to hospital – which violated police policy.

Hudec wouldn’t comment on the ruling. The teen did, saying “What do you expect? He’s a cop.” The teen also pointed out that two other judges had criticized the Tasering, one calling it “excessive,” another a “shocking abuse of police powers.”

This is not the end of the matter. The teen is suing Hudec for $100,000.

CBC News

Original

A couple among nine homeless people allegedly held for two hours in an Edmonton police van against their will say they were “rounded up like cattle” and treated like “caged animals.”

Christopher Robillard and Diane Wood said on May 20, 2005, they were driven around in an overheated van before being dumped in a north-end neighbourhood.

Earlier this week, Edmonton police Chief Mike Boyd launched a criminal investigation into allegations against three officers.

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CTV.ca News Staff

Original

Two homeless people in Edmonton claim police there arrested them without cause and drove them around in a hot van one day in 2005.

“It was like we were in a sauna,” Diane Wood told CTV Edmonton on Tuesday.

“We’re human beings and we shouldn’t be treated like that, I figure,” her partner Chris Robillard added.

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Charles Rusnell, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Original

EDMONTON - The Edmonton Police Service has begun a criminal investigation into allegations that three officers picked up nine homeless aboriginal people off the street and held them against their will for two hours in a “sweat box” van before dumping them in a north-side neighbourhood.

Police Chief Mike Boyd ordered the criminal investigation following a formal complaint filed by the Criminal Trial Lawyers’ Association, which is accusing Boyd of failing to ensure the initial allegations — made public more than 18 months ago — were properly investigated.

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This is the  policy document outlining the appropriate use of the CED (aka “Taser”).

You can download here (PDF)

The following is the text from the “Mass Arrest Protocol” sheet that was handed out to the 400 arrestees during the Stanley Cup Playoffs in June.

The scanned copy is available (PDF)

2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs - Mass Arrest Information

The following information may assist you in having a better understanding of the grounds for your arrest.

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EDMONTON SUN

Original

By AJAY BHARDWAJ

An Edmonton cop who was reprimanded at a police disciplinary hearing for using excessive force has now been promoted, while the promotions of two others were shelved.

Edmonton Police Service spokesman Karen Carlson confirmed Const. Marc Cochlin was made a sergeant and will work on the city’s north side.

“They shouldn’t be promoting anyone who is under investigation,” said Tom Engel, a member of the Criminal Trial Lawyers Association, which called questions about Cochlin’s promotion.

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EDMONTON SUN

Original

Leadership needed on photo-radar file

We’re in dire need of bright civic politicians who ask the right questions and make smart, informed decisions.

A recent decision concerning Edmonton’s photo radar regime shows we don’t have enough elected officials like that.

For years, city council has struggled over what to do about its photo-radar provider, Dallas-based Affiliated Computer Services (ACS).

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Hello All.

We will be searching archives of stories on the internet and posting them with post-dated timestamps, so they will appear as being posted around approximately the same time the original news article was released.
Thanks from the Edmonton Police Watch team!